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Johannesburg Water Crisis: Where Has Mayor Morero Fallen Short?
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero recently acknowledged that over 65 reservoirs and water towers had experienced significant issues in recent weeks, contributing to the ongoing water crisis in the city.
Despite Morero’s water response plan, which was unveiled in November, the water supply remains inconsistent across Johannesburg. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed concern, claiming that the situation has worsened rather than improved.
Water Supply Challenges Continue
Since early November, Johannesburg Water has been throttling supply, with daily updates revealing multiple towers operating at critically low levels. Certain areas have gone weeks without water, with Mayor Morero confirming that 65 reservoirs and towers were affected by the crisis.
“Technical interventions by both Rand Water and Johannesburg Water’s technical teams are working to sustain recovery and improve the affected reservoirs and towers,” Morero stated on Saturday. “We committed to providing regular updates on the systems in affected areas.”
Promises of Action Falling Short
In November, the Mayor outlined a plan to address the water crisis, pledging to fix water and sewer leaks within 48 hours, improve leak detection, and increase the number of water trucks. However, DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku argues that these promises have not been fulfilled.
“Burst pipes and sewer leaks continue to go unaddressed for days, and councillors are being forced to fetch water tankers from depots themselves after requests are delayed,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku criticized.
Residents have taken to protesting, and the recent temporary closures of both the Constitutional Court and Johannesburg High Court have further highlighted the severity of the crisis. The DA is now calling for a full parliamentary inquiry into the issue.
“We are exploring all options to hold the City of Joburg accountable. They have mishandled this water crisis, and it cannot continue,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said.
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